Vehicle thefts SURGED to 1.02 million in 2023 thanks to new hacks on keyless entry systems. Colorado and Nevada are badly hit, but what about YOUR state?
- Most crimes are falling, but car thieves are having a field day, report says
- Insurance boss says they're getting better at hacking next-gen key fobs
- READ MORE: Is this the most dangerous square mile in America?
You might need to check your vehicle is where you parked it.
Vehicle thefts have risen since 2019 and reached a new peak of 1,020,729 cases last year, says the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a watchdog.
California saw more thefts than any other state, with 208,668 vehicles reported stolen.
But Washington DC has it worse. For every 100,000 people, 1,150 vehicles were nabbed, more than three times the US average.
NICB boss David Glawe says thieves are simply getting better at cracking the keyless entry systems used nowadays.
Washington DC recorded a 64 percent jump in vehicle thefts last year, the NICB says
Car thieves hack keyless entry systems nowadays, as well as old-fashioned screwdrivers
They employ 'increasingly sophisticated methods' and 'advanced technology to bypass security systems,' he said.
'From keyless entry hacks to relay attacks on key fobs, perpetrators are exploiting vulnerabilities in modern vehicle security measures with alarming success rates,' Glawe added.
The findings show a surge in vehicle theft even as other types of crime are returning to more normal levels after pandemic bumps.
The increase is driven in part by groups of mostly juvenile offenders across the US who post 'how-to' videos on TikTok of themselves using screwdrivers and cables to start vehicles and go on joyrides.
Some styled themselves as the 'Kia Boyz,' after one of the makers targeted due to security vulnerabilities that were easy to exploit.
Crime expert David Glawe says thieves are simply getting better at hacking the car entry systems used nowadays
Washington DC's rate of vehicle thefts is three times the national average
Moment four teens crash stolen Kia and take off running down busy Minnesota highway, as the TikTok fueled 'Kia Boyz' craze swept the nation
Hybrid vehicles are often targeted by thieves, thanks to the precious metals in their catalytic converters that sell for hundreds of dollars on the black market.
The second-hand car market also encourages thefts, with used car prices up 30 percent since before the pandemic.
The surge in thefts has led such cities as Baltimore, Philadelphia, Richmond and Scranton to hand out free wheel locks to deter crooks.
Thefts across all manufacturers shot up from 873,080 in 2020 to 1,020,729 last year, NICB says.
Washington DC saw the sharpest rise last year, part of a city-wide crime wave, with 64 percent more vehicles stolen than in 2022.
A juvenile offender explains how to hotwire a car with just a screwdriver and a USB cable
By the numbers, California remains the worst place to park your car on the street
Maryland saw a 63 percent increase.
Connecticut (33 percent), Nevada (18 percent) and Massachusetts (16 percent) rounded out the top five.
NICB researchers also identified vehicle theft hotspots.
The Washington DC area between Arlington and Alexandria saw a whopping 52 percent increase to 24,119 stolen vehicles last year.
But, by the numbers, the Los Angeles area between Long Beach and Anaheim was the worst place to park.
Thieves made off with 72,460 vehicles there last year.
The crime wave continued in eastern Pennsylvania this week, where police are probing 25 car break-ins and one stolen white Honda Accord overnight in Nazareth on Saturday.
Thieves made off with 72,460 vehicles there last year.
Thieves made off with 72,460 vehicles there last year.
Police in South Euclid, Ohio, meanwhile, arrested three minors for trying to steal a neighbors' Kia, while eight vehicles worth $1.2 million were stolen from two dealerships in North Alabama this past week.
Glaw says cops, government officials and manufacturers need to work together to fight the scourge.
The problem is worse because vehicle thieves so often get away with their crimes, he said.
'The repercussions of vehicle theft extend beyond financial losses, causing significant distress and inconvenience for affected individuals,' he said.
